Let There Be Light

A classical reference from Genesis, but that's what I felt like standing on a ten-foot ladder today.  Let me explain:

When I built the shop, I was trying to be frugal with lighting.  I went to a local lumber yard and bought brooder light bases.  When we installed the electrical system (which I did NOT scrimp on), we installed standard electrical outlets in the ceiling of the building.  Four on each side, for a total of eight in the building, each about 12 feet above the floor.

I bought these big twisty CFLs and hung them into the brooder bases ad that was my light in the building.  I thought it was pretty good, until I realized that it wasn't.  There was just not enough light in the building.  Oh, we could get by, but it was fairly dark in there.

I cast about for a solution.  Amazon.com is always available, but I wanted to actually look at one, to explore  bit, and as I was passing the local electrical supply, I pulled in.  The guy told me about the newest, latest and greatest, something called a UFO light.  These things are made for high bay installation, and the guy claimed that they are bright.  He has them installed in his building, and there is plenty of light, so I bought one.  I wrangled a deal, making him put a male electrical plug on it so that I could plug it in when I got to the shop.

For the record, I bought this one.  It's a 100 watt fixture, guaranteed for five years.  When I plugged it in, I thought that the combined Kelvin was going to knock me off the ladder.  That sucker is bright.  My pupils immediately pin-holed, and I had trouble getting down off the ladder.  After studying the light output for a while, I decided that it needed to be over the kitchen, where Belle and I have said that we didn't have enough light.

There is enough light in there now, by God.

If she doesn't lie it, I'll take it down, but it's easy to see what is happening in the kitchen now.  Brooder light fixtures are cheap, and my quest for the perfect shop lighting continues.